William g



4.- of the total quantity of litpiid has been Patented Mar. 10, 1925.

UNITED STATES, PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM G. O'BRIEN OF AKRON. OHIO. ASSIGNOB TO THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY, OF AKRON. OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

PROCES OF MAKING A RUBBERIZED FIBER COMPOSITION.

K Drawing.

To a whom 1'! may mm m:

lie it known that. I. \ViLLr-nt (i. l'llmrx. a eitizen of the l'nited States. and resident of Akron. ()l1io.lu|\'e invented new and u e- 5 hil lllll ltn'tllll'llls in Processes otakin; a llul berixed l ilier ('omposition. of 'llltll the following is a Slltt'lll 'tllltlll.

My inventi n relates to a method of malting: a rubberized tiber compositionarhieh may e utilized in a ariety of rapai'ities surh as floor or wall coverings. as a sul vslitute for leather, or (or any other purpose to \Vllltll a t ugh. tle\i h'. porous. waterresistant eomposition may e adapted.

The many important ohjerts and advan tages of my invention will be apparent from a peru al of the following speeitii'atiou and. the attaelu-d rlaims.

By my invention I have -n'orided a simple and economical proeess of mannfaetur in a material of this i-lass whieh consists in adding a quantity of liquid comprising a rubber solvent and a rubber preeipitant to a rubber solution in such proportions that the solution becomes a rubber preeipi' taut only after a certain desired quantity ol liquid has been added thereto. The libers may be added at any time prior to the preeipitalion of the rubber, preferably after only a portion of the liquid has been added. l'ter the soluti n has become a precipitant and the rubber has been deposited upon the fibers. they are so strained from the Sollh tion as to etl'eet a matted formation. which 3.. product is then dried and cured in the customary manner. In practicing my invention 1 first dissolve a relatively small quantity of rubber in toluol, benzol, or some similar rubber solvout. To this solution I add a quantity of liquid which consists of a mixture oi toluol. benzol. gasoline or any rubber s bent, and alcohol, acetone, or some similar miseihle rubber precipitant. After a port ion added. I add a quantity fibers. The liquid should be in approximately the. proportions of T7)? toluol and 23', aleohol, or some similar solution whit-h is a preeipi- The remainder. of the toluol alcohol mixture is then slowly added to the rubber solution while being eontinuouslv agitated to disperse the fibers in the rubber solution thoroughly throughout the entire mixture. The

Serial No 578.820.

ably eonst tute from Q to 2% of the total mixture. The proportions of the toluolalv h l mixture with respeet to the toluol in the original rubber solution should be such that precipitation at normal room temperature does not oeeur until after substantially the eniire uantity of liquid. which it is desired to mix with the rubber solution. has been added. The proper results may be ob tained b dissolving: approximately 10 grams of rubber in 100 ('e. of toluol and mixing therewith 10 grams of fibers. To this solution is then addedabont. 1800 cc. of the 77f; toluol 23% aleohol mixture. If it is desired to hasten the reei itution, a small uantity of pure a coho may be added. Hit it the toluol-alcohol mixture is properly pro ortioned. this is not necessary.

.iTter the rubber has been preci itatlad upon the fibers. the' are so straine from the solution as to e ect a matted formation whii-h may be accomplished by permitting the fibers. in a very dilute mixture to assume their natural positions as the liquid is drained oll' slowly. The resulting mat is then Washed, dried, and cured in the CH8- tomary manner. if desired, the mat may be (aired and dried simultaneously, or the rubber may be treated with vnlcanizing agents while in solution or after precipitation and prior to the drying operation.

in the foregoing description and in the areompanyinn elaims l have referred merely to fibers as being mixed with the rubber Solution. and tinally having the rubber preeipitated thereonv 'lhese fibers ma 00nsist of wood. hemp. cotton, jute, as tos, letllhel. wool or the like, depending on the pur ose for which the final product is ultimately to be employed.

Although I have set forth in detail bet iii a single application of my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art, that it is not so limite but that various minor changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention, or from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. The method of making a fibrous material which comprises mixing a quantity of fibers in a rubber solution, adding a quantity of liquid thereto comprising a mixture of a rubber solvent and precipitant, straining the fibers from the liquid, forming a mat therefrom, washing, and curing the mat.

2. The method of making a fibrous material which comprises mixing a quantity of fibers in a rubber solution, adding a quantity of liquid thereto comprising a mixture of toluo'l and alcohol, straining the fibers from the liquid, forining'a mat therefrom. washing, and drying the mat.

3. The method of making a fibrous material which comprises mixing a quantity of fibers in a rubber-toluol solution, adding a quantity of liquid thereto comprising a mixture of toluol and alcohol, so straining the fibers from the liquid as to form a mat, washing, drying and curing said mat.

4. The method of making;a fibrous material which comprises mixing a relatively small quantityof fibers in a toluol-rubber solution comprising a relatively small quantity of rubber, adding thereto a relatively large quantity of liquid comprising a mixture of toluol and alcohol, so straining the fibers from the liquid as to effect a matted formation, washing, drying and curing the product.

5. The method of making a fibrous inaterial which comprises mixing a relatively small quantity of fibers in a toluol-rubber solution comprising a relatively small quantity of rubber. adding thereto a relatively large quantity of liquid comprising a mixture of toluol and alcohol, the fibers and rubber in the liquid being approximately equal in weight and each being equal to about to 2% of the weight of the liquid, so straining the fibers from the liquid as to etl'ect a matted formation, washing, drying and curing the product.

6. The method of making a fibrous material which comprises adding a quantity of a toluol-alcohol mixture to a solution of rubber, adding and mixing therewith a quantity of fibers, adding an additional amount of the toluol-alcohol mixture, straining the fibers from the liquid, and washing the same.

In witness whereof, I have signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM G. O'BRIEN. Witnesses L. M. HARTMAN, F. A. Lmn.

hereunto 

